Billet nicking machine



Dec. 28, 1948. v A. H. YOCH ETAL 2,457,337

v BILLET NICKING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1945 Z Sheets-Sheet 1 FIE .1 a

Dec. 28, 1948. A. H. YOCH EI'AL BILLET NICKING MACHINE '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22. 1945 Dec. 28, 1948. A. H. YOCH ETAL 2,457,337

I BILLET NICKING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmirozes,

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Dec. 28, 1948.

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BILLET NICKING MACHINE Filed June 22. 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 P"- 'm-Hu 5 A k. g-

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BILLET NICKING MACHINE Filed June 22. 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 m E I INVENTORJ E H Patented Dec. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE BILLET NICKING MACHINE August H. Yoch, Melrose, Pa.,. and William W. Rice, Jr., Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignors to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application June 22, 1945, Serial No. 601,010

by shock or pressure appliedto the nicked billets 5 by a drop hammer, hydraulic press, or similar means. The short pieces thus produced are used as stock blanks in the manufacture of ordnance shells and other articles. A convenient way of nicking the billets is to score or nick them at evenly spaced points with oxygen cutting torches. Machines have been devised for this purpose having a row of torches which will nick a vertical face of the billet simultaneously at a number of spaced points as the torches are moved in unison to traverse the torch tips over the billet face. The machine embodying the present invention is of this general type except that the torches are moved horizontally across the top of the billet to produce a series of spaced nicks in the upper horizontal face of the. billet, although certain features of the invention may be used in a machine adapted to nick a vertical face of the .billet or a machine having only one nicking torch' as distinguished from a row of them.

According to the invention, the machine in its preferred form has a row of torches capable of independent vertical movement, either individually or in groups, and the movement of each torch or group of torches is controlled by its own billet engaging device which brings it to the proper vertical adjustment with respect to the billet when all of the torches are simultaneously lowered to cutting position, thus compensating for unevenness or vertical camber in the billet.

Manually operable means is provided for the simultaneous. lowering of the torches, and their simultaneous lifting away from the billet at the end of the nicking operation, such means having lost-motion connections to the torches or torch groups which permit their independent vertical adjustment above referred to.

The billet engaging device for each torch or torch group is effective throughout a horizontal torch travel that exceeds the width of the billet, so that it maintains the corresponding torch or torches at the proper vertical adjustment, not only during the time that the torch tips are directly over the billet, but also when the torchtips are a short distance in 'advance of the for- 50 ward edge of the billet and when they have moved a short distance beyond its rear edge. Each billet engaging device is so constructed that when the corresponding torch or torch group is adjusted angularly, the billet engaging device can be ad- 13 Claims. (o 26 -23) justed to maintain those portions of it which contact with the top surface of the billet in a horizontal plane.

An indicator is provided by means of which the operator, when making the necessary adjustments prior to a nicking operation, can tell when the first torch of the row is the proper distance from the end of the billet (a distance equal to the spacing between the torches), together with means for effecting small adjustment of the entire row of torches lengthwise of the billet until the first torch is in proper position as shown by the indicator.

Still another feature of the machine is that each torch is provided with one or more quenching nozzles for quenching the billet along the nick made by that torch, the nozzles being adjustable with respect to the tip of the torch.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the machine in its preferred form. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of about one-half of the machine, the other half being largely a duplication of the parts shown in this figure;

' Figure 2 is a plan view of'the portion of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a duplication of the right end portion of Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale, certain parts being broken away;

Figure 4 is a detail end view of the above mentioned indicator;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2, the torch which appears in this figure being shown in the position it'assumes aften nicking the billet clear across its upper face but before the billet-engaging device moves beyond the far edge of the billet;

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of the machine shown in Figure 5, the dotted lines indicating the range of vertical movement provided so that the torch tip can follow the camber of the billet;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1'I of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure 6 but showing the torch starting to nick the billet;

Figure 9 is an enlarged plan view of one of the torch groups and its supporting mechanism, the group being the one shown at the left in Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line I0-l0 of Figure 3;

Figure 11 is an explanatory view to show how the row of torches nick the billet and how the indicator functions; and

Figure 12 is a view corresponding to Figure 11 showing how the billet may be completely severe instead of merely nicked, by certain torches, such is every other one.

The machine shown in the drawings has a base carriage i (Figures 2 and provided with flanged wheels 2 which run on the rails 3 of a track extending lengthwise of the billet, to be nicked. The track rails i may be secured to a stationary support t (Figure 5). The base carriage supportsall other parts of the machine. and therefore when moved along its track, as

hereinafter described, moves all parts of the machine as a unit longitudinally along the length of the billet. A billet is represented in Figures 5, 6 and 8 at B.

A top carriage 5 has flanged wheels 6 which run on track rails 1 (Figures 2, 5 and 8) supported by or forming part of 'the base carriage and disposed at right angles to the track rails 8. Thus, movement of the top carriage on its track moves all parts supported by it, including the torches, trans 'versely of the billet. The top carriage is driven by an electric motor (not shown) whose speed is controlled by a centrifugal governor which is adjustable by turning a dial 8 on the carriage (Figure 2).- The dial is set so that the governor will cause the carriage motor to advance the carriage at the proper speed for the particular torches and tips used for the picking operation.

A clutch (not shown) on the top carriage may be operated by a handle 8 (Figures 2 and 5). By disengaging the clutch the top carriage can be moved rearwardly along its track by hand to move the torches out of the way when positioning a new billet in front of the machine. 4

9). This rotates apinion 21 (Figure 7;) engaging with the rack teeth 24 on the torch bar 23 and thus causes the torch holder to be shifted longitudina-lly of the bar. A key 28 in each torch holder slides in the above mentioned key-way in the bar 23 and prevents the torch holder from turning on the bar.

A bar It is rigidly fastened to the forward end of the top carriage and extends parallel to the track rails 3 and parallel to the billet (see particularly Figures 1, 2 and 5). A number of folding parallelogram frames are attached to the bar It by clamps ll. Each of these frames has two fixed vertical bars I! secured to the clamp ll (Figures 2, 6, 8 and 9) and two corresponding vertically movable bars it. A tie rod ll extends between and rigidly connects the two fixed vertical bars l2 near their upper ends, and a similar tie rod i5 extends between and rigidly connects the two vertically movable front bars ll near their upper ends. The ends of these tie rods appear in Figures 5, 6 and 8 and the front tie rod i5 appears in the front elevation of Figure l. A pair of links it pivotally connect the upper ends of the vertical bars, and a similar pair of links H pivotally connect their lower ends (see particularly Figures 6 and 9). The pivotal connection of the upper links it to the upper ends of the vertical bars is effected by means of a rear pivot shaft I! and a front pivot shaft l9. Similarly, the pivotal connection between the lower links H and the lower ends of the vertical bars is effected by a rear pivot shaft and a front pivot shaft 2i.

At the lower ends of the two vertically movable bars ii there are clamps 22. best shown in Figures 2 and 9, which support a circular torch bar 23 which extends lengthwise of the billet. This bar has rack teeth 24 along its rear face and a key-way in its front face. The bar 22 is for adjustably supporting the torch holders and the billet enaging device. It may support one torch holder or a number of them. In the present instance each of the torch bars 28 supports two torch holders, shown at 25. The torch holders may be of standard construction and may be adjusted lengthwise of the bars 23 in the usual way by turning a knob 20 on the torch holder (Figures 8 and Forming part of each torch holder is a sleeve 29 (Figure 6) in which a torch in may be adjusted vertically by turning a knob 3i carried by the sleeve. This turns a pinion 3| (Figure 10) meshing with rack teeth ll" (Figures 3 and 6) on the torch and thereby raises or lowers the torch in the sleeve. The sleeve 29 is adjustable about the axis of a horizontal rearwardly extending pin 82 and also about the axis of a vertical pin 23 (see particularly Figures 6 and 8). The clamps 22, by means of which the torch rod 23 is supported, permit this rod to be turned about its axis to shift the position of the torch holders and thereby change the fore and aft angular position of all torches carried by the rod.

The machine illustrated in the drawings, as

actually built, has four folding parallelogram stood, however, that any desired number of the parallelogram frames may be attached to the bar Ill and each frame may have associated with it one or a number of torches. The torch holders are adjusted lengthwise on their respective bars 23 so that the spacing between all of the torches is the same.

Also mounted on each torch bar 23 is a sleeve 34 (Figures 2 and 9) which may be adjusted longitudinally on the bar by turning a knob 35 in the same manner as the torch holders 25 can be adjusted on this bar. Clamped in the sleeve 3. is a post 38' (Figures 1, 6 and 9) which extends down to about the level of the torch tips where it is pivoted at 36 to the rear end of a caster support 31. The caster support is provided with two casters 38 and 39 arranged in tandem, one just to the rear of the line of torch tips and the other just in advance ofsuch line, as best shown in Figures 5, 6 and 8. The casters are adapted to roll on the upper surface of the billet, as hereinafter described, and the torches are adjusted vertically in their holders so that the tip of each torch shown at 40 is spaced the proper distance from the billet when the casters are in contact with its upper surface. The forward end-of the caster support 31 is pivotally connected by means of a link I to a sleeve 42 which is adjustable on the post 3! and which may be clamped in its adjusted position by means of a set-screw 43. When the torches are adjusted about the axis of the torch bars 23 to change the inclination of the torches, the caster support 31 may be adjusted by shifting the sleeve 42 on the post 35' to keep the axes of the casters in a horizontal plane so that both of them will continue to contact with the upper surface of the billet during the cutting operation, no matter what inclination is given to the torches.

Means are provided for counterbalancing a portion of the weight of the torches. torch holders.

-- ea ch parallelogram frame.

ass-mar and other parts connected with each of the folding parallelogram frames. For each of the parallelogram frames there is a counterweight rod 44 which fits at its forward end in a socket 45 carried by a sleeve 56 (Figure 9) which is adapted to fulcrum on the rear upper pivot shaft l8 of the corresponding folding parallelogram frame. The sleeve 46 is rigidly connected to an arm M having a sleeve 58 at its forward end through which the front upper pivot shaft IQ of the parallelogram frame passes. Each counterweight arm 46 carries a counterweight 49 which is adjustable on the arm and may be clamped in adjusted position by a set screw 50 (Figure 9). The position of the counterweight on the rod 44 determines the extent to which the torches and other parts carried by the forward portion of the corresponding folding parallelogram frame are balanced.

As above stated, each of the torches is separately adjustable vertically in its torch holder, but all the torches can be raised or lowered as a unit by actuating a handle 5! (Figures 5, 8 and 9) connected at its forward end to a rock shaft 52. This shaft is supported in bearings directly above the bar 10, to which the'parallelogram frames are clamped, and extends the entire length of bar Ill. The rock shaft has rigidly attached to it a number of forwardly extending arms 53, one for The forward end of each of these arms is connected by means of a chain 54 with the forward top part of the corresponding parallelogram frame. Preferably, the chain connection is made to an eye 55 carried at the forward end of the counterbalancing arm 41, as best shown in Figure 8. It is obvious that by depressing the handle 5|, the forward portions of the parallelogram frames, together with the torches and all parts carried by them, may be raised above the position shown in Figures 5 and 6. The parts may be maintained in elevated position by causing the handle 5| to be engaged by a latch 56 on the top carriage 5 (Figures 5 and 9). When the handle is released from its latch and permitted to rise, the forward portions of the parallelogram frames are lowered, together with all the parts carried by them, until one or both casters engage the upper surface of the billet.

A tube 51 extends down each torch and terminates close to the end of the torch tip. Fuel gas is delivered to these tubes for pilot flames for F the torches (Figure l). 'A water pipe 58 also extends down each torch to deliver quenching water to a pair of nozzles 59 adapted to discharge jets of quenching water at both sides of the nick cut by that torch and just to the rear of the torch tip. The water discharged by the nozzles flows into the nick to chill the metal and cause it to fracture below the nick to facilitate subsequent mechanical breaking of'the nicked billet. The quenching nozzles 59 are made of flexible metal such as copper, and by bending them they may be adjusted to direct the quenching jets in any desired direction toward the billet.

Projecting from the right end of the bar H] (as viewed in Figures 1 and 3) there is a stub shaft 60 on the end of which there is an indicator or pointer 6| which can be moved angularly about the axis of the stub shaft. As shown in Figure 4, there is a brake for holding the pointer in any set angular position, and this brake can be released when the pointer is to be turned by pressing together two brake release handles 62. When the pointer Si 'is turned down into the lowered position, its endis substantially in line with the torch tips.

For accurately locating the base carriage I in position to make nicks at particular locations on the billet, there is a hand wheel 63 on a shaft 65 (Figure 1) mounted to turn in a pair of bearing plates 65 (only one of which shows in Figure 1) secured to a bracket 86 attached to and movable with the base carriage l. A sprocket 67 on the shaft 64 operates a sprocket chain 68 which passes around a sprocket 69 which is rigidly connected to one of the wheels 2 of the base carriage. By turning the hand wheel 63 it is obvious that the carriage wheel 2 may be rotated to move the base carriage i along its track 3.

All of the torches are connected with a common set of headers 10 (Figures 1 and 5) for supplying cutting oxygen, preheating oxygen, acetylene, fuel gas for the pilot lights, and water forquenching. The arrangement of the headers,

and hoses for supplying the gases and the water to the torches forms no part of the present invention and need not be described in detail. The supply of gas and water to the torches is controlled by valves, some of the operating handles of which appear in Figure 5 at H.

To nick a billet the torches are adjusted longitudinally of the machine and relative to each other until their spacing corresponds to the desired spacing of the nicks to be made in the billet and so that the first torch has a like spacing from the tip of pointer 6! when the pointer is lowered. If the torches are notalready in the raised position, the handle 5i is depressed and held down by the latch 58. This elevates the forward ends of all of the folding parallelogram i frames and raises all of the torches out of the way so that a new billet may be placed in position for nicking. The base carriage is then moved by hand along its track until the pointer t I, when in lowered position, is approximately in line with the end of the billet or is in line with the last nick of a series of nicks previously made in the ,same billet. Small adjustments of the base carriage may be made to more accurately position the torches by turning the hand-wheel 53. Frequently, when the billet moves into position and hits the usual disappearing stop, the billet may rebound. The inching mechanism consisting of the pointer 6 i, and the hand-wheel 53 and associated parts, is then very serviceable in adjusting the row of torches to the position assumed by the billet at the end of its rebound. With the top carriage 5 in the rearward position, the torches are now lowered by releasing the handle 5! from its latch 55. The forward portion of each parallelogram frame, and all the parts carried by it, moves downwardly until one or both of the casters 39 engage the top surface of the billet. The top carriage 5 is moved by hand along its track until the tips of the torches are located at the rear edge of the billet. The torches of each group, i. e. the torches on each parallelogram frame, are now supported solely by the forward caster 39, the rear caster 35 being off the surface of the billet, as shown in Figure 8. The clutch on the top carriage 5 is now engaged by means of the handle 9 and the motor is started to cause the carriage to move at a slow uniform speed along its track and cause the entire row of torches to move across the billet to cut a series of nicks in the upper face of the billet. Before the torches reach the far edge of the billet the leading casters 39 move off the billet but each rear caster 38 supports all of the torches of its group until the nicks have been made completely across the face of the billet as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

7 Further movement of the torches to the right beyond the full-line position shown in these figures would cause the rear casters to run oi! the far .edge of the billet and the torch assemblies to drop to their lowest limit of movement as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 6, but in the operation of the apparatus the carriage is stopped before the rear casters 38 run off the top surface of the billet. During the greater part of the nicking operation both casters are of course eflective in supporting the weight of the corresponding torches. Thus, either one or the other, or both of the'casters support the corresponding pair of torches on the surface of the billet during the nicking of the billet and adjust both of the torches vertically independently of the other pairs of torches to compensate for unevenness or vertical camber in the billet. Inasmuch as any unevenness or camber is usually gradual rather than abrupt, it is suflicient that the torches be vertically movable by the casters in pairs or groups rather than individually, It should be particularly noted that the dual casters arranged in tandem permit the horizontal torch travel to exceed the width of the billet, thus allowing all the torches travelling in unison to nick across the entire top surface of the billet without losing support by the billet and in spite of camber in the billet.

At the end of the nicking operation the movement of the top carriage is arrested, and the torches are elevated to the position shown in Figure 6 by depressing the handle 5i and causing it to be engaged by the latch 56. The chains it constitute lost motion connections between the arms ll and the forward ends of the folding parallelogram frames which permit each pair of torclges to adjust vertically when riding on the bille r In the machine shown in the drawings all of the torches are nicking torches and cut a series of nicits in the billet as illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 11. If desired, certain torches, such as every other one, may be used to completely cover the billet as diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 12. The billet would then be cut into short lengths B"- with a nick at the center of each of the short pieces, or with several nicks evenly spaced along the length of each short piece. When the machine is used in this fashion to both sever and nick the billet, there may be two independent sets of gas supply headers, instead of the one set shown in the drawings, the nicking torches being connected to one set of headers and supplied with gases suitable for nicking, and the severing torches being connected to the second set and supplied with gases suitable for severing.

We claim:

-1-. In a billet nicking machine having a row of oxy-fuel gas torches and means for moving them in unison at cutting speed across the top surface of a billet to cut a series of spaced nicks in such surface, the improvement which comprises a plurality of separate torch mountings each ofwhich has a vertically movable portion to which at least one of the torches is connected to be thereby capable of vertical adjustment independently of the torches on the other mountlugs, and means connected to. the vertically movable portion of each mounting adapted to engage the upper surface of the billet during the nicking operation to cause independent vertical -adjustment =-of the corresponding torch, or torches to compensate for unevenness or vertical camber in thebillet.

2. In a billet nicking machine having a row of oxy-fuel gas torches and means for moving them in unison at cutting speed across the top surface of a billet to cut a series of spaced nicks in such surface, the improvement which comprises a. plurality of separate articulated frames each of which has a vertically movable portion to which at least one of the torches isconnected to be thereby capable of vertical adjustment independently of the torches on the other frames, and means connected to the vertically movable portion of each frame adapted to engage the upper surface of the billet during the nicking operation to cause independent vertical adjustment of the corresponding torch or torches to compensate for unevenness or vertical camber in the billet.

3. In a billet nicking machine having a bar extending lengthwise of the billet and having means for moving the bar parallel to itself and transverseiy of the billet, the improvement which comprises a plurality of folding parallelogram frames clamped to the bar each of which has a vertically movable portion, at least one oxy-fuei gas torch connected to such movable portion to be thereby capable of vertical adjustment independent of the torches connected to the other parallelogram frames, and means connected to the vertically movable portion of each parallelogram frame adapted to engage the upper surface of the billet during the nicking operation to cause independent vertical adjustment of the corresponding torch or torches to compensate for unevenness or vertical camber in the billet.

4. In a billet nicking machine, an oxy-fuel gas torch having a'tip directed toward the upper,

surface of the billet, means for moving the torch at cutting speed across the top surface of the billet to cut a nick in such surface, a vertically movable member to which the torch is connected, and billet engaging means connected to such member and adapted to engage the upper surface of the billet during the nicking operation, such means being adapted to engage the upper surface of the billet throughout a horizontal torch travel which exceeds the width of the billet.

5. A combination in accordance with claim 4 in which said billet engaging means comprises a p ir of casters arranged in tandem, one of the casters being in advance of the torch tip and the other being to the rear of it.

6. In a billet nicking machine an oxy-fuel gas torch having a tip directed toward the upper surface of the billet, means for moving the torch across the billet at cutting speed to cut a. nick in such surface, a bar on which the torch is mounted, said bar extending longitudinally of the billet and being angularly adjustable about its own axis to change the fore and aft inclination of the torch, billet engaging means also mounted on said bar and having a pair of casters adapted to engage the upper surface of the billet during the nickin operation, and means to adjust said casters to maintain them in a horizontal plane when said bar is adjusted about its axis to change the fore and aft inclination of the torch.

7. In a billet nicking machine having a row of oxy-fuel gas torches and means for moving them in unison at cutting speed across the top surface of a billet to cut a series of spaced nicks in such surface, the improvement which comprises a plurality of separate torch mountings each of which has a vertically movable portion to which at least one of the torches is connected to, be thereby ca.- pable of vertical adjustment independently of the torches on the other mountings, means connected to the vertically movable portion of each torch mounting adapted to engage the upper surface oi the billet during the nicking operation to cause independent vertical adjustment of the corresponding torch or torches to compensate for unevenness or vertical camber in the billet, and common means operatively connected to the vertically movable portion of all of said torch mountings and adapted to be manually actuated to simultaneously raise or lower all of said portions and the torches connected to them.

8. The improvement in accordance with claim 7 in which said common means is operatively connected to the vertically movable portion of all of the torch mountings by means of lost-motion connections which permit said independent vertical adjustment of certain torches.

9. The improvement in accordance with claim 7 in which said common means is operatively connected to the vertically movable portion of all of the torch mountings by means of flexible members which permit said independent vertical adjustment of certain torches.

10. In a billet nicking machine having a row of oxy-fuel gas torches whose tips are directed toward one of the surfaces of the billet, means for moving the torches in unison at cutting speed to cut a series of spaced nicks in such surface,

means for adjusting the torches individually lengthwise of the billet to equalize the spacing between them, and means for adjusting the entire row of torches lengthwise of the billet, the improvement which comprises an indicator at one end of the row of torches which is movable with them when the row of torches is adjusted lengthwise of the billet and from which the end torch may be spaced a disce equal to the spacing between the torches, said indicator being 10 that movement of such member moves the entire rOW of torches lengthwise of the billet, means operatively connected to said member and manually operable to affect slight adjustment of the member and torches lengthwise of the billet, and an indicator carried by said member at one end of the row of torches and from which the end torch may be spaced a distance equal to the spacing between the torches, said indicator being adapted to be brought adjacent the end of the billet or the last nick of a previous series of nicks in the billet to indicate when the torches are in proper position lengthwise of the billet to nick which exceeds the width of the billet, a quench-.

ing liquid supply pipe, and at least one nozzle on the pipe, said nozzle being so positioned relative to the torch as to discharge quenching liquid onto the billet adjacent a nick formed by the torch and to the rear of the torch.

AUGUST YOCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

adapted to be brought adjacent the end of the billet or the last nick of a previous series of nicks in the billet to indicate when the torches are in proper position lengthwise of the billet to nick it at the desired places.

11. The improvement in accordance with claim 10 in which said indicator comprises a pointer,

a shaft extending lengthwise oi the billet on which the pointer is mounted, said shaft being mounted on the means for adjusting the row of torches lengthwise oi the billet, and means for adjusting said pointer in its own plane about the axis of said shaft.

12. In a billet nicking machine having a row of cry-fuel gas torches whose tips are directed toward one of the surfaces of the billet, means for moving the torches in unison at cut speed to cut a series of spaced nicks in such surface, means for adjusting the torches individually lengthwise of the billet to equalize the spacing between them, the improvement which comprises a member movable lengthwise of the billet and on which all of the torches are supported so UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,318,725 Bucknam Oct. 14, 1919 2,208,121 Davis July 16, 1940 2,227,476 Williams et a] Jan. '7, 19i1 2,293,853 Roundtree Aug. 25, 1942 2,317,239 Yoch Apr. 20, 1943 2,327,110 Jones, Jr. Aug. 17, 1943 2,334,250 Casseus et al Nov. 16, 1943 2,345,412 7 Moore Mar. 28, 1944 2,363,036 Anderson Nov. 21, 194i 2,365,235 Young et al ..Dec. 19, 1944 2,382,515 Smith Aug. 14, 1945 2,405,945 Ehemann, Jr. Aug. 20, l9i6 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 101,376 Great Britain Sept. it, 1916 298,479 Great Britain Jan. 2, 1930 OTHER REFERENCES Oxyacetylene Tips, August 1924, pp. 4 and 5, volume 3. v 

